


The Haircut

by FallenAngelAndPie



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Adolescent Sexuality, Gen, M/M, Other, Sexuality, Sexuality Crisis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2019-08-15
Packaged: 2020-09-01 04:07:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20251909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FallenAngelAndPie/pseuds/FallenAngelAndPie
Summary: In the pilot episode of Supernatural we see a photograph of John and the boys.  Dean looks around 12 and has long hair.  But none of the versions of young Dean that we have seen have had long hair.  This fic dives into the reasons behind Dean's brief time in the long haired club.





	The Haircut

"You need a haircut!" John yelled at his 12 year old in the kitchen of their current motel room.

"It's my hair! Jon Bon Jovi has long hair!" Dean yelled back.

"In the '80s! Even he got a haircut!" John was heated. "You can't have long hair as long as you live in my car!"

"I'm not cutting my hair, dad!" Dean yelled as he stormed out the motel room door.

Dean stormed off the property and took a sharp turn to the right and down the street.

He liked his long hair. It was like a shield. Made him a mystery at every new school he was thrown into.

But it was more than that.

For years Dean felt different.

He loved joining his dad at checking out hot girls, and did find most if them attractive.

But he also noticed the buff guys.

He couldn't wait to have sex with a woman, but he also just really wanted to kiss a boy.

He would overhear to his female classmate's conversations about which New Kids On The Block boy was cuter. Which Dean totally thought was Donnie. But he couldn't say anything.

His dad was a marine. A tough guy. He had to be a tough guy too. And tough guys do not like other guys!

But having long hair....it was Dean's secret way of being connected to a world he would never know, a world boys could have crushes on other boys, a world he knew existed but just was not reachable for him.

BUt he hated disobeying his dad.

The only time John would show affection of any kind towards him was when he did something to make him proud.

When he shot his first gun at 6, John picked him up and swung him around.

When he was 10 and got in his first schoolyard fight protecting Sammy from a bully, John gave him a firm handshake and his first beer.

But Dean really just wanted that one hug again.

Everything he did he was hoping that this would be what made John proud enough to hug him.

But he always fell short.

Maybe if I cut my hair....maybe then he'll really love me.....

Dean stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out 14 dollars. He walked into the first salon, put his money in the stylist's hand and stuttered, "How much can I get cut off for this?"

The woman looked down at the nervous preteen, holding his trucker hat in his other hand, revealing shoulder length brown hair.

"I will cut your hair as short as you want it, but only if that's what you really want."

Dean knew that he liked his long hair. It made him stand out. But it was also stopping him from being hugged by his father.

"Donnie Whalberg short."

"You like Donnie Whalberg, eh?" the hairdresser asked as she lead Dean to her chair.

He jumped into the seat as she wrapped the cape around him, "Um, no, but the girls at school all really like New Kids and I'm tough like Donnie."

"Interesting. Because you basically already have Donnie's hair. He has a mullet now."

"What?" Shit. Dean wasn't up to date with his favourite New Kid? He can't have a mullet! He needs short hair! "Okay, just cut it off. Make me look super cool and tough!"

"I think your hair is pretty cool now," the hairdresser smiled as she combed out the knots in Dean's hair.

"I thought so too," Dean looked at his lap. "But my dad hates it. And I need my dad to like my hair."

"Ah, so you don't _really_ want your hair cut, you're doing it to please your dad."

"Well...no....yes...but....I just want my dad to be proud enough of me that he gives me a real hug again. My little brother still gets hugs and he's 8....but I haven't had a hug since I was 6. I know I'm the oldest and I have to be more mature, but I just want my dad to hug me!"

"And you think a haircut will do that for you?"

"I have to try!"

"Okay then...well, Donnie is totally out then. But, what about Jonathan Knight?" The hairdresser pulled out a picture book from her drawer and started flipping through this. "I keep this for clients that like famous hairdos and I think I have a picture of Jonathan that you may just like. Ah....here it is!"

She showed Dean a picture of Jonathan Knight wearing a leather jacket and leaning up against a brick wall. His hair was short, but cool and had volume. He looked bad ass and Dean liked it.

"That's perfect!" Dean grinned, totally thinking he had a new favourite New Kid.

The hairdresser gave Dean the full treatment: wash, cut, blowdry. 

Dean stared at himself in the mirror afterwards. His hair was perfect! It was short, but still had an element of that world he so desperately wished he could be a part of.

His dad HAD to hug him now!

"I love it!" Dean turned around and dug out his money for the hairdresser. "Here you go."

"Keep it," she smiled. "This one's on me."

Dean smiled back, "Thank you!"

Dean saunterned out of the hair salon. He felt amazing and still had his $14.

He walked into a local pizza place and spent $3 on a slice of pizza and a bottle of coke. 

On his way home he stopped into a convenience store and picked up two 2 litre bottle of Pepsi, a bag of doritos, and a couple chocolate bars to share with Sammy when he got back.

He walked up to the motel room door, and noticing it was locked, knocked hard on it. 

"Dean?" Sammy answered the door. "Dad's been looking all over for you!"

"Yeah? I was out," Dean through his loot on the bed. "Bought some stuff for you. One of the pepsi's is mine!"

Sammy leaped to the bed and immediately opened the doritos and a pepsi, "Did you get a haircut?"

"I did! Jonathan Knight of New Kids. Super cool! Also, dad's wrong. Jon Bon Jovi still has long hair," Dean fell onto the bed.

The boys ate their junk food dinner and Sammy passed out soon afterwards.

Dean stayed up watching late night television as he waited for his dad to get back, which happened at 2 in the morning.

John barged into the room, half drunk and mildly depressed, "Sammy, I'm home. Still no sign of Dean."

"Dad?" Dean jumped up and spun around to view his dad.

"Dean?" John turned his head to see his oldest son standing in front of the television. "Dean!"

John quickly walked over to his son and gave him a huge hug, "Thank God you're okay! You know better than to just take off and not let me know where you're going! There's a nest in town and I thought one of them got you!"

"I'm fine, dad. Just got a haircut and some dinner for Sammy and me," Dean smiled.

John ened the hug and stood up, still looking at his son, "You did get a haircut! Nice work! Still could be shorter, but this is better."

John smiled as he walked over to his bed and collapsed.

Dean stood there, staring at his passed out father. He ran his hands through his cool, short mane. It worked. He cut his hair and his dad gave him a big hug. 

It was that day when he vowed to never again have long hair. 

"Thanks, Jonathan Knight!" Dean whispered to himself as he crawled into bed. 

**Author's Note:**

> Just to mention, Jonathan Knight came out as gay in 2011. So 12 year old, super closeted, bisexual Dean Winchester got the same haircut as a closeted gay man.


End file.
